Floor structure



- y 8, 1952 J. c. LEEMHUIS 2,602,323

FLOOR STRUCTURE Filed May 2, 1949 JOHANNES C. LEEMHU/S,

' INVENTOR.

HUEBNER, BEEHLER, WORREL,

HERZIG 8 CALDWELL,

ATTORNEYS.

ement floor.

.Another object o Patented July 8, 1952 UNITED STAT .rtoor. s'rnncrnnn. r Johannes o. Leemhuis, os Angeles, one." Application May2, 1949, Serial No. 90,838 r. v

1 This invention relates to a floor construction particularly adapted for use in radiant floor heating. The invention is directed toward the provision of a new and improved floorv construction preferably formed of cement poured over ,a suitable form made up of reinforcing stools or th like, said form comprising means for segregating or otherwise dividing off selected areas or channels forming passageways in nearly every direction under the floor for ventilation or heating purposes. Because it is contemplated that a maximum circulatory area be provided with minimum impediment of air flow, the structure envisages flow channels of maximum dimensions asso- 5 Claims. (01. m ss) It is also -among theiob' jects ofthis invention to provide an economical readily mass-producible ciated with supporting structure of improved design occupying a minimum of area and designed together with such passageways to allow dispersion of air rapidly and uniformly. Simple and effective provision is also made for appropriate bearing-Wall supports and the like foundation reinforcements.

It is therefore among the objects of this invention to provide a new and. improved means fo radiant floor heating, optionally by means of forced hot air, to form an air cushion under the floor surface having a minimum ofobstruction to circulation, the latter being optionally and ,efiectively regulated from selected points over the floor area.

It is another object of this invention to provide an improved floor construction of the desired character described requiring no additional ingredients or elements than those inherent in the raw material and which is fireproof, dampproof and dustproof. I

Another further object of the invention is the provision of new and improved floor stools preformed and mutually inter-related with other like stools to produce a honeycomb of intercommunicating passageways with a minimum of flow obstruction in all given directions. 7

Another further. object'of the invention is to provide a novel floor construction associated with a novel and improved means of joining adjacent means for producingthe desiredeffect.

It, is, moreover, among the objects of the invention to provide for improvements over the prior art devices heretofore intended to accomplish generally similar purposes.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists. in the construction, arrange ment and combination of the various parts of the device whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter set forth, pointed out in the appended claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings. I

t is contemplated that floors made in accordance with thepresent invention will be poured as a continuous slab of concrete or the like over stools and their associated parts, as hereinafter set forth, whereby a continuous fio'or composed of concretehaving passageways formed thereu derw llresifltr V Y In the drawings; r I

Figure 1 is a: perspective view partially in. section of a poured-concrete floor formed over forming stools and other parts chosen as illustrative of this invention. I Figure 2 is-a-perspective view of a stool per sc. Figure 3 is a plan sectional view taken as on a line 3 -3 of-Figure 1. r I Figure ,4 is a bottom view of a portion or such floor as illustrated in Figure 1, 'the sub-floor beingomitted. f Referring to the drawingf'forms. comprising stools 29, cf. Figure 2, preferably of sheet metal or like sheet material and formed with an upper convex surface -30 are dire'ctly'fll'aid.uponthe flat foundation il (Fig. 1), and the 'upper c'ement .portion then poured as asingleupper slab "21 stools to one another for added'strengthand resilience or immobility.

Another further object of the invention the provision of a new and improved reinforcing construction and reinforcing elements for a basic a. flo'or construction in Whichthe maximum' posf-the invention is to praise sibleair spa'ceis obtained and in which thesuplporting means is a' relatively small fraction of the obtained supported Surfa y,

a Said;

over all of them. The stools thereb'ydefine" a network of chambers. and passages under the fi o or.. stools may have ,fla'ngesi 3i radially directed upwardly and outwardly and j designed .to abut one another around the outer'ends of the .Thefe'r'ids "32 of each'sto'ol comto andfadaptedto accomarcl'iways l t; prise legs corresponding mea re pillar portions 2810f the floor.- Said ends 32 are designed" to "rest ,upon the upper surface sea '29 "maybe provided with [Said reinforcing k 35 for increased strength and finay-also beformed with a central cross 36 likewise; embossed therein for added strength in the sssa rr giqn, fthe 9 In order more firmly to secure together the legs spend i ,f.each $99 ,129. b n lik ie u i- 38 3 likewise preferably formed of metal or optionally formed of other like materials including plastic or resilient members, are adapted to encircle the four-part pillar which is made up of four quarterpillars at each corner of the stools (excepting, of course, that at the edges of the resultant floor or the corners thereof only one or two of said corner pillars occur). Said .annuli retain the stools against relative lateral movement and serve to reinforce the bases of the pillars. Corresponding bands may be provided to encircle three, two. or even one of said legs 32 along margins and corners of the floor as may be required;

The height of the passages under the .fioormay be increased or decreased to compensate for vary-- sages therein in all directions results in the forlet for the honeycomb passageways underithe floor as may be required, e. =g., to avoid local areas of excessive heat or cold adjacentor remote from ahcta'ir inlet'or outlet point.

'Thesepartitionsare made ofe thin sheet material such as. sheet iron, and they donot occupy any appreciable space as between the tiles when the latter are used. If desired, therefore, in the integral slab construction-a continuous-long strip .of material of. equal length-"to the desired passage 'may-fbetplacedas between-adj acen trowsof blocks or'stools in lieu of the individual partition members 40. The height of such continuous-strips :is preferably such as to cover the archways l l'from the upper surface 33 of'the'slab i bu't should fall somewhat. short of the height 'of'the-upper surface #3 of'the'slab 2'1 The thickness of the partitions :w will be'ofno importance where ithe stools areused as forms forthe pouring of asi-ng'le fl'oors'lab. Their height will be of importance only as "it "bears-upon the question" "of slab joints or lines ofisepa-ration. Where desired, especial-lythough not necessarily .for .the latter purpose, heavy tar paper-brother yieldable material, etc, may be substitutedrfor sheet metal.

Thezinstantstrncturemaybeeconomicallyproduced from a largeWariety of materials, "as will be readily apparent to one skilled in any of the arts .0f radiantheating, tile and cement construction.

The slab of the instant "invention can be'used .asa finished floor surface. or as a spacer between a .base and upper 'floor'finish, as desired. If so used the slab need not have'aiizn-ished uppersurface but may ;be roughly "cast from the pref- .erably and cement-likeraw material.

In view of. the relativelylarge passageways-and therelatively small supporting ,columnsresistance to air flow and forced air circulationfor heatin orrooling is reduced .to a minimum; Control of flow is also .possible, asheretoforje stated, the

air circulation. The passagewayscanalsoibeiused for sealed zstill= air to. act as an air, cushion for insulation. g

The pillars may be treated to prevent capillary mation substantially of a 'hot air cushion under the floor.

During installation the stools 25 are laid closely side by side on a hard level base so that the arches are mutually supporting when subjected to a vertical load.

Construction is preferably such that, by way ofexamplathe aggregate area of contact between ,the bottom of the pillars and the base upon which they rest constitutes approximately five to ten per cent, preferably eight per cent, of the total floor'area on the top surface '43 .of the slab.

The resultant floor is dry and Well ventilated and provides, if desired, a perfect base for Sub-- sequent :fioorfinish such as a layer of cement, concrete, magnesite, composition, wood, etc, flooring. No cutting or Waste of materials is called for.

For radiant heating the .hot .air :may be forced down through apertures left in theslab 2.1.. Baffle-plates used. in. conjunction with the partition flit-or theirequivalent .assist in directional flow and selective heating; Further circulation may be provided through openings in the floor surface :at any point controlled. by registers .and the air-maybe drawn over the floor surface "to a furnace 'for recirculation. Thestools '29 may be laid without the use ofmortar or bedding.

Reinforcing pillarssand foundations for bearing walls may be provided'aby the .omission :ofselectivestools or rows orgronpsthereof. The :arrangement thus defined may be Lseparatedand outlined by partitions or spacers andifthen-poured solid.

invention features the provision .of an improved floor construction providing a maximum of air circulation beneath the floor surface with a minimum vof obstructions, the structure being such that .con'tactzof the air flowing through the passageways with .t.he.:columns assists in heating of the floor. Although it is herein contemplated that thezslablzl be made of a cement-like material 'and that'the stools 29 be of metal, any other appropriate substitutes maybe used, including plastics, fibrous material and :the like. The slab 2.1 may be :of any generally homogeneous material, and the stools 29 may be madebf any sheet- 'like:material of suitable strength.

Although the invention has been herein shown and olesoribed'in what is conceived to be themost practical and preferred embodiment, it is -.recog- 'n'ized that departures maybe made therefrom within the scope of the invention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent structures.

The invention having been herein described, what is claimed and sought, to 'be-securedby Letters Patent l. A form adaptedto receive cementitious material poured thereover, comprising a stool-made of sheet material and having asquare-plan-view, said stool havinga dome-like center portion and extending downwardly atyeach corner of the square to form leg portions "for the stool which terminate at 'a common horizontal plane, the edge portion of said material intermediate each of said legs being formed as an archway giving access to the under portion of the stool, each leg portion of said sheet material curving downward to form at its lower extremity a quarter-cylinder lying on an are centered on the corresponding corner of the square, thereby leaving a region which said cementitious material may fill above said leg portion down to said horizontal plane and thereby form, when hardened, a pillar at each corner of the stool.

2. A form according to claim 1, wherein each side edge of said stool forming said archways is turned upwardly to form a flange disposed substantially in the vertical plane of the corresponding archway.

3. A fioor form comprising a plurality of stools of sheet material and having a square plan View, said stools being laid side by side and end t end on a horizontal plane to constitute a form over which cementitious material may be poured, the sheet material of each stool being curved downwardly to form a leg portion at each corner of the square thereby leaving intermediate said legs an archway on each side of the square, archways of contiguous stools thereby registering to form passageways interconnecting the region underneath said stools, the sheet forming said leg portions being curved downwardly to terminate at said horizontal plane in a. quarter cylinder, whereby the common corner of four abutting squares is formed with a substantially circular pillar cavity into which the cementitious material may fiow down to said horizontal plane and when hardened constitute pillars at each of the corners of said stools to support a floor structure of said cementitious material.

4. A form according to claim 3, wherein the 7 5. A form according to claim 3, including p'artitions disposed in vertical planes and intermediate registering archways of contiguous stools.

J OHANNES C. LEEMI-IUIS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 318,324 Terrell et a1. May 19, 1885 453,510 Shillinger June 2, 1891 1,033,413 Kahn Oct. 17, 1910 1,861,435 Chamberlain et a1. June 7, 1932 2,153,789 Carswell et a1. Apr. 11, 1939 2,192,567 Waugh Mar. 5, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 1,341 Great Britain 1860 671,568 France Sept. 7, 1929 278,017 Italy- Sept. 27, 1930 Great Britain July 5, 1936 

